


Keep Quiet

by amberesinite



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Sokka/Suki, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Tension, but then becomes zutara because i'm trash, established aang/katara in the beginning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:53:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22368253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amberesinite/pseuds/amberesinite
Summary: This is Katara he’s fantasizing about… If somebody catches him gawking at the Avatar’s girlfriend, he’s fucking finished… And Katara would probably be the one to do it.He finds that he doesn’t dislike that thought.Two years after Avatar Aang defeats Ozai, the gAang meets up in the Fire Nation to celebrate.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 148





	1. Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> This is intended to take place 2 years following the end of the events of AtLA. Aang is 14-15, Katara is 16-17, and Zuko is 18-19. I'm sorry I made Aang so angsty but like... what 15 year old boy _isn't_ angsty?

Spring comes to the Fire Nation in the form of tinkling wind chimes and a warm breeze. 

_What a contrast to two years ago_ , Zuko muses as he collapses onto the soft grass. A badgerfrog croaks in the pond beside him, while a flock of cranefish splash playfully. The tender chirping of sparrowkeets is nearly enough to put him to sleep as he looks lazily up at his companion, hair still plastered to her face from sparring. She smiles down at him, blue eyes sparkling with delight. The corner of his own mouth twists into a smile as he shoots a puff of fire in her direction, twirling his fingers to make the flames dance around her head. She giggles and bends some water from the pond, just enough to flick back at him in playful retaliation.

As she leans on the railing of the bridge to collect more droplets, Zuko becomes acutely aware of the appealing curve of her hips. _Agni… Has she always been this beautiful?_ He finds himself unable to stop his eyes from wandering down over her backside to her well-developed thighs. He wonders what it might be like to sink his fingers into them, to have them clasped around his head… 

_Fuck_. This is _Katara_ he’s fantasizing about… If somebody catches him gawking at the Avatar’s girlfriend, he’s fucking finished… And Katara would probably be the one to do it. 

He finds that he doesn’t dislike that thought.

When he tears his eyes from her body to meet her gaze, she looks entranced – _hungry_ , even. Her gaze is fixed firmly on his chest, his loose tunic displaying the results of his years of training. Heat rushes to his face and pulsates between his legs.

Approaching footsteps pull him from his adulterated thoughts, and hiding his face in the crook of his elbow is all he can do to quash his embarrassment as the Avatar skips over to them.

“Oh, hey Katara! Hey Zuko! What’cha up to?” he greets with a bright smile.

Katara answers with just a little too much haste, face becoming redder which each passing second. “Hi, Aang, we were just, uh… sparring!” she offers, pushing her messy hair from her face. Zuko pulls his arm away from his face and looks at her in disbelief. There is no force on earth, Zuko thinks, that could make Aang believe that sparring was the only thing that was happening here.

“Wow, no wonder you two are so flushed!” comes the animated response. Zuko makes a mental note to thank to whatever god brought him this good luck as the Avatar gives Katara his best puppy eyes. “Come on, Katara, the war’s over! Let’s go get ice cream!”

Katara smiles softly and agrees. Aang is already yanking her by the hand before she manages to wave goodbye to Zuko apologetically. He returns her wave half-heartedly, but as soon as they’re out of sight, rage boils within him.

 _Aang has never respected Katara like he ought to. Dragging her along behind him like a dog he’s worried will run away if given the chance_. Zuko is hurtled back to Ember Island, to a clandestine scene of which Zuko was the only witness.

_”I thought we were going to be together!”_

_“I don’t know, Aang. It’s not the right time.”_

_“Then when_ is _the right time!?”_

And then he kissed her. He _fucking kissed her_. Completely disregarded her feelings and still had the audacity to think he was the victim. Zuko sees the scene play out in front of him like it was yesterday, remembers every minute detail. Try as he may, he can’t erase the image from his head. _If it weren’t for Katara, there wouldn’t even be freedom for Aang to enjoy right now!_ His whole body is searing. Zuko growls, igniting the embers within his clenched fists. “It’s not fair! He treats her like a fucking trophy!”

“Jealousy does not suit you, dear nephew.”

He shoots his uncle a lethal glare that he knows he’ll regret later, but all he can think about is Aang – touching her, kissing her, holding her.

“I’m NOT jealous,” he snarls. But wisps of flame sizzle between clenched teeth, and Uncle Iroh smiles sadly. “…And even if I was, it’s not like it matters. She made a choice, and it’s not up to me to decide whether she made the right one.”

Iroh hums thoughtfully. “Whatever you say, nephew…” He places a hand on Zuko’s shoulder. “But if you choose to keep that jealousy within you, it may very well burn you up from the inside out.”

***

“Two small strawberry shortcake, please!” Aang nearly shouts at the clerk, holding up two fingers and beaming like it’s the best day of his life.

“Oh, uh… Actually, Aang, I was going to try the mint chocolate chipotle...”

“But… you love strawberry shortcake, Katara!”

The statement is so absurd that she can’t help but laugh and squeeze his hand. He looks so dejected over a change in ice cream flavor. “Just because I’m ordering another flavor doesn’t mean I don’t like strawberry shortcake anymore – I just thought it’d be fun to try a Fire Nation specialty while we’re here!”

Aang pouts but concedes.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Aang exclaims, eagerly taking Katara’s hands in his own. “We were invited to attend a festival in Omashu celebrating our victory against Ozai! There’s gonna be street vendors, and fireworks, and a parade, and Bumi wants me to make a speech to kick off the festivities!”

“That’s great, Aang! When are you going?”

“Next week! I already told Bumi he could count on us to be there!”

 _Wait, what?_ Aang is grinning at her, but Katara’s heart drops. “Wait a minute, Aang. Did you say _us_? As in you and me?”

“Yep!”

“Aang, I’m honored that King Bumi has invited me to his festival, but I’ve only just arrived back in the Fire Nation… I wanted to celebrate with you and our friends, right here, right where we ended the war two years ago.”

If Katara thought her heart dropped before, it was nothing compared to how Aang’s face dropped at that statement. “But… You’re my girlfriend… Don’t you want to come with me?”

“Wha— Of course I want to do things with you!” She feels the annoyance creeping into her tone despite her best efforts. “But just because we’re dating doesn’t mean we have to do _everything_ together. And besides, it would be rude to abandon Zuko and our friends and leave so suddenly!”

Katara can see the hurt in Aang’s eyes, even as he averts his gaze to stare glassy-eyed through the window of the little ice cream shop. He mumbles in agreement, but she knows that he’s just saying that to appease her, that he’ll bring this conversation up the next time they have an argument instead of just fucking talking about it like a normal, functional couple.

Katara huffs and crosses her arms, looking away from Aang. They had talked about this. She thought they were _past_ this... But apparently Aang still can’t accept that she’s her own person with her own desires and aspirations.

 _And_ that they don’t solely exist to support his.

“Well, since this has been such a productive conversation, I guess I’m heading back to the palace now.”

She hesitates for a moment, but Aang doesn’t acknowledge her. He sniffles and wipes his face with his arm, continuing his staring contest with the window instead.

So Katara leaves.


	2. Keep Quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Low block to the left. High kick to the right. Step back. High block to the left. Step— Hmm?_
> 
> _Practicing firebending forms requires absolute focus, and the sound of crying has broken his concentration. He huffs irritably and starts from the beginning._
> 
> _The sobs continue._
> 
> _“Who the fuck cries outside of the Fire Lord’s room?” he mumbles to himself as he wipes the sweat from his brow._

Aang is nowhere to be found.

Katara can’t quite say she’s surprised – he’s been suspiciously eager to perform menial tasks recently, like helping the groundskeepers water the plants in the royal gardens or sweeping the floors of the palace’s innumerable halls. He’s obviously avoiding her.

_Don’t flatter yourself, Katara… He has a long journey ahead of him tomorrow._

She doesn’t want to think about that either.

Instead, she wanders through the palace, admiring the intricate engravings adorning the outer rims of the Fire Lords’ portraits in the entrance hall. She traces the lines with her fingers, each likeness decorated with symbols that seem to represent their rule – a comet for Sozin, a turtle for Azulon, cogwheels for Ozai – Katara snorts. If only somebody could have gotten the cogwheels inside his _brain_ to turn, maybe he wouldn’t be rotting away in a cell beneath her feet right now.

The next portrait is Zuko’s.

His hair is pulled up in a tight bun, ornamented with the traditional headpiece. Light seems to emanate from the left side of the painting, and its borders are decorated with the four elements. She reaches up tentatively, fingertips barely grazing the coarse surface of the canvas when she hears the echo of footsteps. Katara withdraws her hand and turns around to find Aang standing in the doorway.

Aang is meant to leave for Omashu tomorrow, but they haven’t spoken about it since their argument last week. Recently, whenever Aang approaches her, Katara feels exceedingly irritable. He’s always digging up old arguments that Katara _thought_ they had laid to rest. Or, even worse, he pretends that nothing’s wrong. That annoys Katara more.

She looks him in the eyes but says nothing, the silence hanging heavily between them. She’s exhausted, and if she speaks first, she’ll definitely say something she’ll regret.

“Hey…” his voice bounces off the walls of the hollow room.

“Hey, Aang.”

“So, about tomorrow…” he trails off uncertainly, eyeing his feet.

 _Sigh._ “What _about_ tomorrow?

“Well, I’ve been thinking about what you said and,” he pauses briefly to meet her gaze, “I wanted to apologize. You were right, Katara – I should have asked you before I made plans for the both of us. I just got so excited about the festival and the invitation… I’m really sorry.”

Katara’s cold expression softens, and she moves to close the distance between them. “It’s okay, Aang. I appreciate that you took the time to consider things from my side.”

Her hands slide around his waist to grasp the back of his robes while she buries her face in his chest. He’s much taller now, but his smell is familiar, comfortable. He pulls away ever so slightly to place a chaste kiss on her forehead. She smiles and returns the gesture. Aang looks at her sheepishly.

“So now that we’ve made up, can I help you pack?”

_No. No no no no no. This is all wrong._

“Aang, I already told you I’m not going. What don’t you understand!?”

“But I said I’m sorry!”

Bewildered. Hurt. Discouraged. All of these things written on Aang’s face, Katara feels and more. It was _her_ that was wronged, but _he’s_ the one on the verge of tears.

Katara can feel herself shutting down. She’s tired of these conversations. “An apology doesn’t _mean_ anything if your actions don’t reflect it.” Her voice is icy again, and this time there’s nothing Aang can say to thaw it.

She hurries past him, discreetly wiping tears from her own eyes as she exits the room. The hallway is mercifully vacant as her brisk walk turns into sprinting. She makes her way through the public gardens, people turning their attention to her as they pass. _Spirits, what did I do to deserve this!?_ Rounding a final corner, she collapses into an alcove far from the chatter of the court and cries.

***

_Exhale…_

Zuko slowly brings his fists down from his face to settle at his sides.

_Low block to the left. High kick to the right. Step back. High block to the left. Step— Hmm?_

Practicing firebending forms requires absolute focus, and the sound of crying has broken his concentration. He huffs irritably and starts from the beginning.

The sobs continue.

“Who the fuck cries outside of the Fire Lord’s room?” he mumbles to himself as he wipes the sweat from his brow. He doesn’t have to look far before he discovers Katara curled up into herself, leaning against the stone wall just beyond the gardens. Her breathing is shaky, and she’s clutching the fabric of her tunic so tightly that her knuckles are white.

“Katara, what are you doing here?” he hisses.

She startles and wipes her eyes in a poor attempt to cover up the fact that she was just bawling in front of his room.

“Oh… Sorry, Zuko. I was just trying to clear my head.” She smiles weakly, but the corners of her mouth are pulled downward and more tears threaten to run down her cheeks. Zuko sighs and rubs his temples. The patrol will be coming by soon, and rumors will spread if somebody finds them like this. He really wishes the lords and ladies of the court had better things to do than gossip.

“A-Anyway, I’m fine now, so I’ll just be—”

“Shh. Keep quiet and follow me.”

***

The smell of jasmine tea is just soothing enough for Katara to hold herself together. She glances around the room to keep her mind occupied, taking in the traditional Fire Nation style furnishings. She was currently seated on a plush red sofa embroidered with fire lilies, a tea cup placed on the beautiful Zitan tea table in front of her. Two smaller plush chairs are situated at either end of the low table, decorated with the same lily motif. An imposing desk sits in another corner of the room, its gilded accents almost completely obscured by the number of scrolls and inkwells resting upon it. Just opposite of the chair where she sits, she can make out a four poster bed hidden behind a latticed screen and enveloped in a soft gold silk.

Zuko’s footsteps are nearly silenced by the tatami floors in the tea room that Katara hardly notices him pour her tea and sit in the chair to her left.

“Thanks,” she mumbles into the cup.

Zuko gives her some time to enjoy the tea before clearing his throat.

“So… would you care to tell me why you were hiding in the royal gardens crying?”

His voice is soft, but Katara can’t read his expression. If she didn’t know the subtleties of Zuko’s facial expressions, she might have thought he was apathetic or even annoyed, but his tone is suggestive of something more like concern. She takes a deep, shaky breath, contemplating the correct words before speaking.

“…Aang and I got into another fight.”

Her eyes are warm with tears once more, and her vision is becoming increasingly blurry, but even so she can still make out the wide-eyed shock that adorns Zuko’s face.

“It’s just… I thought he understood me, you know? But it feels like recently all we do is fight.”

“You guys have always gotten along well though – I’m sure you’ll work your way through whatever this is.”

Katara shakes her head, tears streaming down her face.

“No… I think I’ve finally just begun to stand up for myself and do what _I_ want. But now that it’s _his_ turn to concede, he won’t budge on anything! It feels like all I do is make sacrifices for the sake of Aang and our relationship, and all I get out of it is disappointment! What if… Zuko, what if this is the end?”

The sobbing is uncontrollable now, fueled by the thought of her and Aang growing apart. It feels like someone is slowly ripping open her chest. She covers her face with her hands, not realizing the little red crescents she’s leaving in her forehead until the sofa dips down next to her and warm hands pull hers away.

He laces her fingers with his and gives her hand a gentle squeeze while his other arm pulls her into his chest by the shoulders. She nestles into the crook of his neck, squeezing his hand tightly.

Her sobs wane into occasional sniffles under the soothing touch of Zuko’s hands drawing patterns on her back while he whispers encouragement and reassurance into her ear. She doesn’t notice how warm his bare skin is until she pulls back and misses its heat.

“I’m sorry, Zuko… I didn’t mean for _this_ ” she motions to herself, “to happen.”

He smiles at her so sincerely when he says, “There’s nothing to be sorry for,” that her heart nearly jumps out of her throat, and— _Fuck. He’s shirtless._

She averts her gaze from his perfectly chiseled abs and focuses on her empty tea cup instead. Aang will leave for Omashu tomorrow, and she’ll be left behind feeling guilty for not joining.

“Katara? Are you okay?”

“Aang will be wondering where I am… Maybe I’m a shitty girlfriend, but I don’t think I can handle another argument right now...”

“Then let him wonder.”

Zuko stands and holds out his hand, which Katara takes cautiously. He leads her to the extravagant bed across the room and rummages through his drawers before procuring a loose tunic and pants.

“You can rest easy knowing that no one will bother you here. I’ll be on the sofa if you need me,” Zuko motions behind him.

Katara changes into Zuko’s clothing and crawls into his bed. In spite of the thoughts racing through her head, sleep comes easily to Katara.

But sleep comes at a price for Zuko, who dreams of soft lips and strong thighs and breathy moans, and who wakes up with the name _Katara_ on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just like torturing Zuko apparently ‾\\_(ツ)_/‾


	3. Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara can feel her cheeks flush as all attention abruptly turns to her. She looks to Zuko for help, her expression begging him to say _something_ , to change the subject. But instead, as she catches his eyes, the burning only intensifies. His gaze is even, steady, but his irises are alight, seemingly made from the flames themselves, and his own cheeks flushed a faint crimson that blends into his scar. His mouth is slightly parted as if in wonder, and it’s just _so damn distracting!_ At this point, she’s quite sure she’s made enough a spectacle of herself that she does the only reasonable thing left to do – she covers her face with her palms and groans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I passed my board exam woohoo!!!! Now back to writing nonsense!

By the time Katara wakes up in the morning, Aang has already left. Within her conscience, relief and guilt fight an unending battle for dominance.

“What was up with Aang?” Sokka mumbles through a mouth full of porridge. “He’s been in a _mood_ for days, sulking around like a… a moody teenager!”

Suki laughs and touches his arm affectionately. “That’s because he _is_ a moody teenager, Sokka.”

“Well _I_ was never a moody teenager. Not compared to Aang or Mr. ‘I have to restore my honor’ over here,” Sokka retorts in a mimicking voice, jabbing his finger into Zuko’s shoulder.

“Hey. I resent that,” Zuko huffs, but the ghost of a smile plays at the corner of his mouth.

Katara can feel her own lips quirking into a grin at Sokka’s impression. “This is nice. It’s just like old times!”

“Yeah, now Sparky just has to tie you to a pole and we’ll have come full circle!” Toph cackles.

Katara can feel her cheeks flush as all attention abruptly turns to her. She looks to Zuko for help, her expression begging him to say _something_ , to change the subject. But instead, as she catches his eyes, the burning only intensifies. His gaze is even, steady, but his irises are alight, seemingly made from the flames themselves, and his own cheeks flushed a faint crimson that blends into his scar. His mouth is slightly parted as if in wonder, and it’s just _so damn distracting!_ At this point, she’s quite sure she’s made enough a spectacle of herself that she does the only reasonable thing left to do – she covers her face with her palms and groans.

“ _Spirits_ , Toph! Why did you have remind me??”

Toph’s cackling becomes impossibly louder before she says, “I just like messin’ with ya, Sugar Queen.” She punches Katara in the shoulder playfully. “Besides, I always thought you had a thing for Zuko.”

Katara sputters, searching for a response that’s neither too emotional nor too casual and comes up blank. The embarrassment burns hotter in her cheeks, and she feels like she’s under a spotlight, juggling torches under the midday sun out on the streets of Caldera when Zuko clears his throat.

“I uh, I have a meeting to attend…” He says just a little too quickly, bowing politely before excusing himself from the table. Katara’s head falls to the table with a quiet _thud_ while Sokka dramatically throws his arms into the air.

“Way to go, Toph – you made Zuko leave!” He brings his arms down over his chest and pouts. Suki attempts to stifle a laugh.

“Aw, it’s _so terrible_ being stuck with us girls all day, isn’t it?” she croons in his ear.

Sokka leans into her and places a series of gentle kisses on her neck. “Mm, not if it’s just you…” He flashes her a wicked grin and waggles his eyebrows.

 _Ugh._ Katara did not come to breakfast to be reminded her old teenage crush on Zuko _or_ of her brother’s perfect relationship and irrefutably great sex life.

“And on that note, I’ve _also_ suddenly remembered something important that I have to do,” Katara scowls as she loudly pushes her chair out from the table.

***

“Hey, Sugar Queen! Hang on a sec!” Toph’s voice echoes through the hallway. Katara turns around to see Toph jogging up to her with a folded paper marked with her name. “Twinkletoes asked me to give this to you. Said it was important,” she shrugs.

_Great._

“Thanks, Toph.”

She receives a salute in parting and trudges back to her room where she ruminates over the contents of the note.

Or rather, the _potential_ contents of the note. It’s definitely from Aang, written in his telltale floaty calligraphy. But what could he have possibly wanted to say the morning of his departure that couldn’t have been said literally any other time? She scowls to herself. If there was something he wanted to say, he shouldn’t have been such a chicken – he should have just come out and said it! She considers that it could be another attempt at an apology. Maybe he was just having trouble putting his feelings into words and wanted to try writing her an apology on paper instead?

Katara sighs angrily. She should just read the damn note and get it over with. She glances at it one more time before tucking it into her robes for later. Maybe getting some fresh air would help put her mind at ease.

***

Suki absently traces patterns on Sokka’s bare chest. His eyes flutter closed as an afternoon nap threatens to win over his attention.

“You’re not tired already, are you?” she purrs as her fingers dance down to his navel with feather-light touches. Sokka inhales sharply. She rolls on top of him and straddles his waist as she presses a kiss to the tip of his nose, to his cheek, to the corner of his mouth.

Sokka flips her over with a squeak and begins nipping at her collar when someone knocks on their door. It goes unnoticed until the knocking becomes more aggressive, startling Sokka into grabbing his boomerang from under their pillow.

“Hey, Suki? Can I talk to you?” comes Katara’s muffled voice from the other side.

Suki places a hand on her chest and exhales. _It’s just Katara._ “Give me a minute! I’ll be right there!” she calls out.

Sokka groans.

***

Suki stands on the opposite side of the courtyard with fans ready, though not yet extended. Her gaze is hard, unyielding. Katara makes the first move, cracking a water whip to Suki’s right side. Suki strafes to her left and transitions into an offensive stance, using the guard of her fan to break the whip. While Katara recovers from the loss of range, Suki runs up close and jabs her in the ribs. _Ow! Fuck!_ She doubles over to grasp her side and Suki uses the momentum to twist Katara’s wrist and put her in an armlock.

“Woo! Yeah, Suki! I’d let you handle my arm like that any day!”

Katara shoots her brother a glance that she can only hope conveys the level of disgust and disbelief she feels at his attempt at flirting.

But Suki’s hold is unrelenting, and Katara can’t reach her water skein. Sweat pours down her forehead in the blazing heat of the Fire Nation capital. _That’s it!_ There’s enough sweat between the two of them that it’ll make do. She freezes the droplets which she flicks at her opponent like miniscule throwing stars. Suki stumbles just enough for Katara to reform her whip and snap it at her a second time. She hits her target this time, and Suki drops the fan in her right hand. _Bingo._

Katara hurls five discs of water in succession, which Suki masterfully breaks with her remaining fan. She changes her stance when Katara sends a sixth disc, catching her off guard. Her wet robes quickly become cool and then frigid as Katara freezes her to the ground. Katara can’t help but feel smug, though she knows the afternoon sun won’t allow Suki to remain frozen for long. She closes in and throws one punch. Then another. And another. All adeptly blocked. The ice is melting fast, and she takes her chances on a back kick, her heel making contact just below the sternum.

Suki is winded and scrambling for her dropped fans. Katara reaches into the fountains and pulls out enough water to surround herself with writhing tentacles that give her the impression of a sea monster. She looms over her opponent, grinning wildly. “Are you ready to accept defeat!?”

But Suki only smirks and procures a small knife from her robes. Before Katara can process its course, she feels a sting on her cheek and drops her watery appendages. It’s all Suki needs to throw Katara her to the ground and pin her there. Both women laugh happily as she extends her hand to pull Katara up and clapping breaks out around them.

When she looks around, there are no fewer than 30 people who have gathered in the courtyard, captivated by their sparring match. _Including Zuko_ , she realizes. Her heart jumps into her throat and begins pounding wildly as he approaches them, still clapping and with that damn crooked smile and beautiful eyes of his.

“That was an incredible display! I wish I could have seen more,” he lauds.

Suki wipes the sweat from her brow and grins. “Aw, thanks, Zuko! To be totally honest though, I just got lucky. Katara’s ice work is deadly!”

“Me? Please, Suki – you clearly have the upper hand in close combat and martial skill. I’m a little jealous!”

“You know,” Zuko continues, “I’m sure you two have worked up quite the appetite. How about we all go out for lunch? My treat,” he finishes with a smirk.

Toph pumps her fists into the air and shouts, “Hell yeah! I know _I’ve_ worked up an appetite!”

Sokka stares at her incredulously. “But you haven’t even done anything!”

“I know! Isn’t it great!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagining Katara tied up was definitely giving Zuko inappropriate ideas
> 
> This was originally supposed to be the last chapter, but the story kind of acquired a mind of its own and exploded into something more, so here we go! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


	4. Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Zuko beams at her. “This is my favorite part of eating out in Capital City,” he announces as he gestures to the dish. “It’s called_ huo guo _, and it’s a shared dish. You dip your meats and vegetables into the broth to let them cook, and then you can dip them into these sauces for extra flavor. My favorites are the soy, garlic, and black bean-based sauces.”_
> 
> _“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Fire Lord look so happy!” Katara teases as she cautiously takes a bite of shrimp dunked into the garlic sauce._
> 
> _Her expression changes from amusement to horror instantly, as she brings her hands to her mouth and tears begin to burn at the corners of her eyes. Her brow furrows and the tears roll down her face as she attempts to fan her mouth in vain._
> 
> _“Zuko! You didn’t tell me this was hot!” she sputters._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the 5th day of quarantine, AO3 gave to me: the time and inspiration I needed to flesh out this chapter~

The busy marketplace of Capital City is almost large enough to put the royal palace to shame. Vendors line either side of the street, boasting hot pot, Fire Nation souvenirs, high-end jewelry, extravagant robes, exotic wines, local tours… Trying to take it all in is dizzying, and Katara is thankful to have Zuko as a guide.

“Oh man, Toph, did you see the—”

“The _baozi_ vendor? Hell yeah, I did!” she cuts Sokka off excitedly. “Char siu pork, siu mai, egg custard… My mouth is watering just thinking about it!”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Sokka cries impatiently, “Let’s go eat our body weight in dumplings!”

“Sokka, wait!” Suki yells as she watches them race to the restaurant, pushing and shoving to get ahead in line. She sighs exasperatedly and takes off after them. “Sorry, Katara. I have to go rein in your brother! We’ll catch up later!” she waves.

Zuko chuckles. “I guess it’s just you and me now.”

They walk in silence for a time while Katara admires the bustling marketplace. Aside from the many vendors and patrons, school children screech at each other during games of cat and mouse, and couples walk hand in hand enjoying the fresh air. Many of the couples, she notices, are wearing matching shoes or other adornments to signify their commitment.

“So how are you holding up?” he asks, breaking the silence.

Katara sighs.

“He wrote me a note.” She looks up at Zuko, who has a mixture of concern and intrigue written on his face. He says nothing, silently urging her to continue. “Toph gave it to me this morning after he left for Omashu… He didn’t even have the spine to give it to me himself.”

“What did it say?”

“…I haven’t read it yet,” she admits guiltily. Thinking of its possible contents still makes her chest hurt and her stomach churn. Even now, it feels like she’s breathing underwater through a straw while her heart is being squeezed by the tail of an eelhound and stomped on by a saber-toothed mooselion.

Zuko places a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. “You can read it now, if you want,” he offers softly. “Y’know, so you’re not alone.”

Katara shakes her head, trying her damndest to hold back tears.

“This was supposed to be a reprieve from the stress of our daily lives, but now Aang has gone off to be important without us and I don’t even know what I am to him anymore!” she exclaims. “No… I don’t want this to ruin our day.” She offers him a weak smile, but her voice cracks, and by the way he begins to scrutinize her expression, she knows he’s not convinced.

“Come on, then,” he finally replies. “Don’t worry about being the Avatar’s girlfriend right now – just worry about being Katara.”

He takes her hand, a mischievous smile on his face, and leads her through a series of back roads and alleys until they arrive at a small café on the outskirts of the city. Zuko orders an assortment of foods that Katara has never heard of before, all of which sound exciting, though she’s ashamed to admit that she’s nervous to try them.

“That one is called jianbing,” he points to a rolled up pastry that Katara saw quite a few vendors offering on their way here. “They make it simple here, but the bread is perfect. …And this one is _ci faan_ ,” he continues, “It’s basically just rice stuffed with pork and pickled veggies. It’s not as popular as _baozi_ in this area of the city, but I actually prefer the texture of the rice to that of the dumplings.”

Katara thoughtfully nibbles on each of the snacks when the waitress returns with a plates of fish, shrimp, beef, and veggies. She places a large pot of broth on the burner in the center of their table, which Katara can’t help but notice is very… _red_.

Zuko beams at her. “This is my favorite part of eating out in Capital City,” he announces as he gestures to the dish. “It’s called _huo guo_ , and it’s a shared dish. You dip your meats and vegetables into the broth to let them cook, and then you can dip them into these sauces for extra flavor. My favorites are the soy, garlic, and black bean-based sauces.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Fire Lord look so happy!” Katara teases as she cautiously takes a bite of shrimp dunked into the garlic sauce.

Her expression changes from amusement to horror instantly, as she brings her hands to her mouth and tears begin to burn at the corners of her eyes. Her brow furrows and the tears roll down her face as she attempts to fan her mouth in vain.

“Zuko! You didn’t tell me this was hot!” she sputters.

There’s laughter in her voice, though she looks at him in mock betrayal. Zuko, though trying to be polite, can hardly keep himself from laughing, tears welling up in his own eyes too.

Zuko flags down the waitress for some cowhippo milk which Katara gulps down hastily. He lays his hand over hers and smiles as he nods his head toward the note, still folded at the edge of their table. “Whatever happens, it’s going to be okay.”

***

“Hey, look whooit is! It’s… it’s the Flame Lord and my—my sister. What are you guys doing here!? Come… come joinus,” Sokka slurs before being pulled into a sloppy kiss by Suki.

Toph makes a gagging noise, “Ugh, gross! Come on Sweetness, Your brother clearly can’t hold his liquor. I need a new drinking buddy.” She takes another gulp and belches loudly.

“What do you think?” Zuko teases, “Are you up for the strongest liquor in the Fire Nation?”

Katara briefly considers turning him down to call it an early night, but this is what she wanted, wasn’t it – to have fun and not think about Aang?

She slides onto the barstool next to Zuko and flips her hair over her shoulder. “Hah, I was born ready. Make it extra strong!”

***

Katara is _exhausted_. She flops face-first on her bed, not even bothering to remove her dirty clothes. Between the _huo guo_ and spiced _baijiu_ , her tongue is still tingling. She ended up having so much fun with Zuko that she nearly forgot about Aang’s note. She rolls onto her back and pulls it out from her pocket. Sucking in a sharp breath, she carefully unfolds the letter.

_Katara,_

_I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get to see you today before I left. I know we didn’t leave on a good note, but I didn’t think you were the type to avoid someone… I hope you’re not coming down with something. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about our future together a lot recently, and I think it’s something we should talk about. I love you, and I hope we can make up when I get back and everything can go back to normal. I miss the old Katara…_

_Yours,  
Aang_

If she thought she was angry when confronted with Yon Rha, that was nothing compared to the white hot fury that coursed through her veins after reading Aang’s note. To have the audacity to tell her that he loves her – their first ‘I love you’ – right before saying that he misses the ‘old Katara’ is completely asinine! Not to mention he couldn’t even say it to her face.

Katara rips up the paper and tosses it off the bed, grabbing her pillow and screaming into it as loudly as she can. She was afraid that reading this note would ruin her day, and she wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t fair! They came here to have fun with friends, and by all accounts, Aang was making this a terrible vacation.

…Well, maybe this afternoon wasn’t so terrible. Zuko certainly didn’t have to go out of his way to give Katara the fun she was looking for, but he did it anyway. He listened to her complain all day without ever showing any signs of being annoyed, and he even treated her to an amazing lunch. Every time she was reminded of Aang, he would comfort her or try to cheer her up. Being with Zuko just felt so… natural. Like she was allowed to be bossy, independent, strong-willed, or stubborn, and it didn’t matter to him. He didn’t expect her to be perfect all the time – he just expected her to be, well, Katara.

 _No. It’s not that he doesn’t_ expect _me to be perfect, it’s that he likes spending time with me_ in spite _of my imperfections._

The horrible pressure in her chest returns as she realizes that she doesn’t know how to reconcile this new revelation while staying in a relationship with Aang, who wants her to be something that she’s not. She curls up on her side and lets fresh tears spill onto the beautiful silk pillow until the sounds of her own sobs lull her to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst.exe


End file.
